Iran’s satellite launch sparks new fears amid nuclear threat

As Iran continues to amass near weapons-grade fissile material, edging ever closer to becoming a nuclear threshold state, the IRGC announced the "successful" launch of a new "research" satellite into orbit.

This latest demonstration of its advancing missile technology comes as tensions with the West intensify over Tehran’s military support for Russia and its ballistic missile program.

According to Iranian news outlets, the satellite, named Chamran 1, was launched on Saturday aboard the Qaem 100 solid-fuel satellite launcher, operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The satellite was reportedly placed into orbit at an altitude of 550 kilometers, marking the IRGC's second "successful" orbital mission with this launcher.

While Iran insists that the Chamran 1 is purely a "research" satellite, designed to test hardware and software systems and demonstrate in-orbit maneuvering technologies, Western officials and experts remain skeptical.

"Iran’s space program is a cover for the regime’s longer range strike capabilities and a pathway to an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that could be used to threaten the US homeland and the European continent," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior FDD fellow, told Iran International.

The West has long accused Iran of exploiting its space program to test technologies that can be repurposed for military use, specifically long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Despite numerous UN resolutions calling for a halt to these activities, Tehran has pressed ahead, raising alarms across the globe.

Reports from the Iranian media say that Chamran 1 “weighs approximately 60 kilograms and is also tasked with secondary missions, such as testing cold-gas propulsion systems and evaluating navigation and attitude control subsystems.”

The satellite’s launch follows Iran's January 2024 launch of the Soraya satellite, also aboard the Qaem 100. That mission was met with condemnation from European nations, including Britain, France, and Germany, which are all part of the now-fractured nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA.

In a joint statement issued earlier this year, the European Troika expressed concerns over Iran’s continued missile tests, noting that the Qaem 100 launcher relies on the same technology used in Iran’s long-range ballistic missiles.

Such launches allow Iran to test technologies that could be used to further develop its ballistic missile program, the statement said, warning that such activities pose a threat to regional and international security.

“⁠Iran’s space program may be improving due to Russian assistance in exchange for drones and more recently missiles," says Taleblu, the author of “Arsenal: Assessing the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ballistic Missile Program."

This latest launch comes at a critical time, as Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities appear to be advancing in tandem. With each satellite launch, Tehran not only bolsters its space ambitions but also refines the technologies necessary for long-range missile systems. These developments, combined with Iran’s growing stockpile of enriched uranium, inch the country closer to crossing the nuclear threshold—a scenario that could destabilize the Middle East and heighten global security risks.

The IRGC’s Aerospace Force has been at the forefront of Iran’s space and missile programs. Taleblu says “⁠Iran’s newer solid-propellant satellite launch vehicles are run entirely by the IRGC Aerospace Force - a terrorist entity with its finger on the trigger of the biggest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East.”

In previous statements, its commanders have boasted of placing satellites like Noor 3 into orbits as high as 450 kilometers, further showcasing Iran’s growing proficiency in space and missile technology. Yet, for all its claims of peaceful scientific progress, Iran's pursuit of dual-use technologies continues to stoke fears that its ultimate goal is far more dangerous.